Binghamton Vet Center planning to expand Hometown Heros banners

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – A Binghamton-based veterans organization is sharing its knowledge with people from other municipalities as it plans to expand upon a popular tribute to local vets.

The Binghamton Vet Center is planning a second round of Hometown Heroes banners to be installed ahead of the upcoming veterans day.

Last year, the Vet Center installed ten banners along the Bevier Street bridge honoring former members of the armed services. Last month, it held an open house and hosted folks from Vestal, Whitney Point, Port Dickinson and Owego who are also interested in displaying similar tributes in their towns.

Vet Center Director Cornell Morris says each location can tailor the program to fit its own particular needs and desires.

"We get a lot of compliments. Veterans that come here for services see them and make tremendous compliments about how professional they look, how unique, how dazzling, and how honored they are to see such a tribute to the local veterans here in Binghamton and Broome County," said Morris.

The Vet Center says it has received permission from the City of Binghamton to add 30 brackets to light poles along Front Street between Prospect and Bevier to hold as many as 50 or 60 more banners.

Each banner costs the family or sponsor $190.

Applications are available at the Vet Center, located at 53 Chenango Street in Binghamton.